Customizable Preformed Decorative Wrapper

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a customizable, preformed decorative wrapper. The device includes a wrapper with a central region and a plurality of sections extending radially outward therefrom. In one embodiment, additional sections may be removably attached to one or more free ends on the central region, wherein the additional sections may be substantially equal in shape and dimensions as existing sections disposed around the central region. The wrapper and the additional sections each include a defined perimeter having an adhesive material therearound, and a removable backing thereon. The wrapper and the additional sections may be constructed from a transparent heat-shrinkable substrate, for example, vinyl or polyvinyl chloride, which can easily bond with graphical or decorative ink so that the ink is prevented from separation from the substrate. In this way, the present invention is may comprise customized designs printed directly thereon by means of an inkjet or a laser printer.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/893,488 filed on Oct. 21, 2013. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a decorative wrapper. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a customizable preformed decorative wrapper that enables a user to directly print a custom design thereon. The present invention is configured to wrap items of various shapes and sizes, and in one embodiment, the present invention is suitable to wrap a pumpkin.

Printing inks on a wrapper, such as vinyl and plastic substrates, and permanently adhering inks to such surfaces has long been a problem encountered when utilizing an inkjet printer or a laser printer to print customized designs. In this regard, inks do not readily adhere or remain affixed to such surfaces. In addition, inks are prone to separation from the substrate, chemical reaction to materials with which the ink comes in contact, and other forms of degradation.

At present, decorative wrappers are manufactured with pre-printed designs thereon. Many pre-printed designs include holiday themes, such as a Christmas theme, Easter theme, and Thanksgiving theme, among others. These holiday theme designs, however, are limited for use during certain times of the year. Alternatively, other pre-printed designs include generic patterns that may not be appealing to individuals who desire a wrapper with a customized appearance.

Furthermore, conventional decorative wrappers are generally rectangular in shape and are thus not suitable to wrap items having non-cuboid shapes such as spherical shapes, basket shapes, and cylindrical shapes, among others. Thus, a user is required to cut the decorative wrapper into a desired shape and secure the wrapper around the item by means of adhesives, ribbons, or the like. Cutting the decorating wrapper and utilizing various securing means, however, can be inconvenient, and can detract from the appearance of the wrapped item.

The present invention is a customizable preformed decorative wrapper. The device comprises a wrapper having a central region and a plurality of sections extending radially outwardly therefrom. Each of the sections comprises a distal end having a semi-circular or an arc shape. In one embodiment, the central region of the wrapper comprises at least one free end that can removably attach to an additional section having a customized design printed thereon. The wrapper and the additional section each comprise a defined perimeter having an adhesive material with a removable backing thereon. The present invention is preferably composed of a heat-shrinkable substrate such as vinyl or PVC that can bond with printed ink. Additionally, it is preferable that the substrate is transparent in color so as to allow the user to view items that are wrapped.

The primary advantage of the present invention is that it can be utilized to wrap items of various shapes and sizes. In one embodiment, the wrapper can be used to wrap a decorated pumpkin. The wrapper can thereafter be heated so that the wrapper can shrink into place over the pumpkin and fit closely to the surface thereof. In this way, the wrapper helps to preserve the decorations on the pumpkin and prevents them from being transferred onto clothing or furniture. Alternatively, the wrapper can comprise a printed design and be used to decorate a pumpkin. In this way, the user can place a design on a pumpkin. In another embodiment, the wrapper can be used without being heated so that it can loosely wrap items such as a gift basket. Finally, the wrapper and the additional section can be used together or independently. In this way, the present invention provides versatility to the user.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that claim shrink wrap bags. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. Some of these devices disclose a gift bag constructed of a shrink wrap material. Other devices disclose a machine for shrink wrapping various items. These devices, however, do not disclose a shrinkable bag on which a user can print a customized design directly thereon. The foregoing is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.

Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,869 to Whittemore and U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,025 to Weinberg disclose a shrink wrap bag that is composed of a monolithic sheet of heat-shrinkable plastic film. In one embodiment, the device of Whittemore is substantially rectangular and comprises a printed design thereon. The device of Weinberg includes an integral handle. Similarly, U.S. Published Patent Application Number 2005/0072698 to Kahl discloses a shrink wrap protective sleeve for portable wireless devices. The device comprises a heat-shrinkable plastic bag that is adapted to enclose a mobile phone therein.

While the foregoing devices disclose a shrink wrap bag, these devices are limited in that the bags comprise a rectangular configuration and that the bags are not composed of material that is suitable for printing. In this way, the foregoing devices are not suitable to wrap items that are not rectangular in shape. Moreover, the foregoing devices do not provide a suitable substrate that can bond with decorative ink. Accordingly, the decorative ink can easily rub off of the substrate when the ink is printed thereon. In contrast, the present invention provides a customizable wrapper that is composed of clear vinyl or PVC, which is adapted to bond with decorative ink printed thereon. As such, the ink remains on the wrapper and does not rub off therefrom.

Another device, U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,372 to Greengrass discloses a plastic bag that can delay the ripening of the produce located within the bag. The bag is composed of plastic which has been micro-perforated. The purpose and design of the Greengrass device differ from the present invention in that Greengrass does not disclose a shrinkable bag and wherein the bag is not a suitable substrate on which decorative ink can be printed thereon. The present invention comprises a flexible PVC printable heat-shrink film, wherein the decorative ink can bond to the substrate. In this way, a user can print customized design or an image directly thereon.

Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,079 to Rudman discloses a machine for enclosing a palleted load in a shrink-wrap film. The device comprises two bars that hold a sheet of shrink-wrap film, and the bars move toward and away from each other to place the shrink-wrap film over a palleted load. Thus, Rudman discloses a machine for shrink wrapping, and not a customizable preformed decorative wrapper that is composed of substrate that bonds to decorative ink.

The devices disclosed in the prior art have several known drawbacks. These devices are limited in that they are not configured to wrap items of various shapes, and that they are not composed of a suitable substrate that can bond with ink. The present invention overcomes these limitations by disclosing a wrapper comprising a planar member having a central region and a plurality of sections extending radially outwardly therefrom. In this way, the present invention is suitable to wrap items of various shapes.

Furthermore, the present invention is composed of a substrate that can bond easily with decorative ink. Thus, the present invention enables users to print customized designs by means of an inkjet or a laser printer. It is therefore submitted that the present invention is substantially divergent in design elements from the prior art, and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to shrink wrap bags. In this regard, the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of shrink wrap bags now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new and improved customizable preformed decorative wrapper wherein the same can be utilized for decorating and wrapping various items.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new and improved customizable preformed decorative wrapper that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved customizable preformed decorative wrapper that is composed of a substrate that can bond with decorative ink to prevent the ink from separation from the substrate.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved customizable preformed decorative wrapper that offers improved flexibility with respect to the type of item being wrapped, increasing the number of applications for the same assembly.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved customizable preformed decorative wrapper that is composed of a heat-shrinkable substrate.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved customizable preformed decorative wrapper that enables users to print customized designs by means of an inkjet or a laser printer.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved customizable preformed decorative wrapper wherein the device may be readily fabricated from materials that permit relative economy and are commensurate with durability.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein the numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a top planar view of the present invention in a flat configuration.

FIG. 2 shows a top planar view of the present invention being assembled.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary view of the present invention in use.

FIG. 4 shows another exemplary view of the present invention in use.

FIG. 5 shows another exemplary view of the present invention in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

References are made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the customizable preformed decorative wrapper. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used to decorate and wrap various items. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there are shown views of the wrapper 21 with and without an additional section 27 attached thereto. The present wrapper 21 comprises a central region 22 with integral sections 23 extending radially outward therefrom. Each of the sections 23 comprise a distal end that is arc shaped or semi-circular. The central region 22 in the illustrated embodiment is substantially circular. Further, the central region 22 of the wrapper 21 comprises at least one free end 24 having a straight edge. In the illustrated embodiments, the wrapper 21 comprises six sections 23 and two free ends 24, wherein one free end 24 is opposite another free end 24. The sections 23 are disposed so that the wrapper 21 is substantially symmetrical.

The wrapper 21 further comprises a first side that is coextensive with a second side. The first side of the wrapper 21 comprises an adhesive material 25 around the perimeter thereof, thereby leaving the rest of the wrapper 21 free of adhesives. The adhesive material 25 may comprise a removable backing 26 thereon. The removable backing 26 may be peeled off of the first side of the wrapper 21 during use.

The present invention further comprises an additional section 27 having a substantially rectangular shape with a first side that is coextensive with a second side, defining a perimeter, an upper end 28 and a lower end 29. The upper end 28 of the additional section 27 is arc shaped or semi-circular, similar to the distal end of each of the sections 23. The lower end 29 is straight, and comprises a width that is substantially equal to the width of a free end 24. In the illustrated embodiment, the first side of the additional section 27 comprises an adhesive material 30 around the perimeter thereof. In alternate embodiments, the adhesive material 30 may span the entire first side of the additional section 27. The adhesive material 25 on the wrapper is the same as the adhesive material 30 on the additional section 27. Accordingly, the first side of the additional section 27 may further comprise a removable backing 31 to protect the adhesive material 30 until it is ready for use. The lower end 29 of the additional section 27 may be aligned with a free end 24 of the central region and attached thereto by means of the adhesive material 30 so that the lower end 29 of the second side of the additional section 27 directly contacts the free end 24 of the first side of the wrapper 21.

In the illustrated embodiment, the second side of the additional section 27 comprises a printed design 32 thereon. The printed design 32 is customizable by the user, and may be printed on the second side of the additional section 27 by means of a printer, such as an inkjet printer or a laser printer. It is contemplated that the additional section 27 may be cut from a rectangular sheet having pre-perforated holes arranged in the shape of the additional section 27 so that the rectangular sheet may be inserted into the printer similar to a conventional printer paper.

It is contemplated that the present invention may be composed of a heat-shrinkable substrate. Additionally, the present invention is composed of a substrate that can bond easily with graphic or decorative ink that is conventionally used in inkjet printers and laser printers. In this way, users can print desired images or customized designs directly onto the additional section 27 to create a customized wrapper 21. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is composed of transparent vinyl, polyvinyl chloride, or similar material that is also puncture-resistant. Additionally, it is preferred that each of the wrapper 21 and the additional sections 27 are no greater than approximately three mil (thousandth of an inch) in thickness.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 through 5, there are shown views of the present invention as used to wrap various items of different shapes and sizes. In one embodiment, the present invention may be used to wrap a pumpkin 33, as shown in FIG. 3. The pumpkin 33 can be placed on the central region of the first side of the wrapper. Each of the sections 23 and additional sections 27 can then be folded upward and toward the pumpkin stem so as to cover the surface of the pumpkin. Thus, the wrapper is shaped so as to fit closely to, and fully enclose a substantially spherical object therein when folded. The sections 23 and additional sections 27 may overlap to cover the entire surface of the pumpkin. The sections 23 and additional sections 27 can be secured to the surface of the pumpkin by means of adhesive materials 25, 30 disposed about the perimeter of the wrapper and the additional section 27. Further, heat may be applied to the wrapper so that the wrapper can shrink and conform to the shape of the pumpkin.

In FIG. 3, the second side of the additional section 27 comprises a printed design thereon, so that the pumpkin 33 can be decorated. Alternatively, the second side of the additional section 27 may be left blank without any design thereon so that the decoration on the pumpkin 33 can be shown through the wrapper placed thereon, whereby the decoration on the pumpkin 33 is protected from physical wear, separation from the pumpkin 33, and other degradation. In this way, the present wrapper can act as a protective barrier.

Additionally, the present invention may be used without having any heat applied thereto so that it does not shrink over a wrapped item, such as a gift basket 34, as shown in FIG. 4. Additionally, heating shrinking the wrapper may not be optimal for certain applications. For instance, the user may avoid shrinking the wrapper to prevent the printed design from significantly being distorted upon shrinking. The basket 34 is placed on the central region of the first side of the wrapper. Thereafter, each of the sections 23 and additional sections 27 can fold upward to cover the entire basket 34 and can be secured in position by means of adhesives 25, 30. Because the wrapper is transparent, the contents of the basket 34 can remain visible to the user. The sections 23 and additional sections 27 can slightly overlap to minimize gaps therebetween. The additional section 27 may comprise a printed image or a design that can correspond to the theme of the gift basket.

Finally, the additional section 27 may be used individually to wrap or label smaller items, such as a bottle of wine 35 as shown in FIG. 5. As described above, the user can print a desired image or design onto the second side of the additional section 27 by using a conventional inkjet printer or a laser printer. The removable backing can be then peeled off of the first side of the additional section 27 so that the additional section 27 can be secured to the wine bottle 35 by means of adhesive material 30.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above descriptions then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specifications are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

I claim: 1) A customizable preformed decorative wrapper, comprising: a wrapper having a first side that is coextensive with a second side, a central region, and a plurality of sections extending radially and outwardly therefrom, defining a perimeter; said first side of said wrapper having an adhesive material around said perimeter of said wrapper; said central region having at least one free end. 2) The customizable preformed decorative wrapper of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of sections comprise a rounded distal end. 3) The customizable preformed decorative wrapper of claim 1, wherein said wrapper is composed of a heat-shrinkable substrate. 4) The customizable preformed decorative wrapper of claim 3, wherein said substrate is composed of printable polyvinyl chloride. 5) The customizable preformed decorative wrapper of claim 1, wherein said wrapper is transparent. 6) The customizable preformed decorative wrapper of claim 1, further comprising a removable backing removably secured to said adhesive material of said wrapper. 7) The customizable preformed decorative wrapper of claim 1, further comprising an additional section having a first side that is coextensive with a second side, defining a perimeter, an upper end, and a lower end; said lower end removably attached to one of said at least one free end of said wrapper. 8) The customizable preformed decorative wrapper of claim 7, wherein said first side of said additional section comprises an adhesive material. 9) The customizable preformed decorative wrapper of claim 8, further comprising a removable backing removably secured to said adhesive material of said additional section. 10) The customizable preformed decorative wrapper of claim 7, wherein said second side of said additional section comprises a printed design. 11) The customizable preformed decorative wrapper of claim 7, wherein said additional section is composed of a heat-shrinkable substrate. 12) The customizable preformed decorative wrapper of claim 7, wherein said additional section is composed of printable polyvinyl chloride. 13) The customizable preformed decorative wrapper of claim 7, wherein said additional section is transparent. 14) The customizable preformed decorative wrapper of claim 7, wherein said upper end of said additional section is rounded. 15) A customizable preformed decorative wrapper, comprising: a wrapper having a central region, and a plurality of sections extending radially and outwardly therefrom, defining a perimeter with an adhesive material; said central region having at least one free end; at least one additional section with a first side and a second side; said first side of said at least one additional section having said adhesive material; said at least one additional section removably attached to said at least one free end of said wrapper. 